Circuit making and breaking device



Filed'Jan. 10, 1925 A G STEINMAYER CIRCUIT MAKING AND BREAKING DEVICE Oct. 26 1926.

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UNITED 4STATES ALWIN G. SIEQIINHAYIEB', OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB T O LINE IATEBIAL COMPANY, Ol SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN', A CORPORATION 0F WISCONSIN.

CIRCUIT .AND BREAKING DEVICE.

Application med January This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in circuit making and D breaking devices and refers more particularly to what may be termed as a mercury 5 contactor, although it is to be understood that any liquid medium capable of performing the'desired functions may be employed.

It is a general object of this invention to generally improve the operation and, con-v struction of contact makin and breaking devices of the type described?F With the above and other objects in view which will appear asthe description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combinationfand arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined b the appended claims, it being understoo that lsuch changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have il-n lustrated two complete examples of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best modes I have so far devised for the ractical a plication of the principles thereof), and in w ich:

Figure 1 is a side view of a contact making and breakng device constructed in accordance with my invention, parts thereof being broken away and in section to illustrate details of construction; v

Fi e 2 is a view, partly in to plan and part y insection, taken throu h ,igure 1 on the plane of the line 2 2, an

Flgure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a slightly modied form of my invention in which the operation' thereof is reversed.

Referring now more partcularly to the accom anying drawing, 1n which like numerals esignate like parts throughout the sevL eral views; the numeral 10 designates a base member of porcelain Orother suitable nonconducting material having two concentric wells or mercury pots 11 and 12 separated by the wallsV of a cu shaped portion 13 centrally formed in t e base with its upper Vor outer edge preferably positoned below the tophslurface 14 of the base proper. v

-e wells or pots are preferably cylndrical in .form for convenience in manufactur- Ying the base and the top surface 14 of the base is preferably cut away 'or indented albng its edge communicating with the outer well 12 to' provide a pouring lip 15 to facili- 10,1925. serial mi 1,587.

tate the removal of the liquid medium 16 disosed in the wells. As clearly shown in igures 1 and 3, the level of the liquid medium is below that ofthe edge of the cupshaped portion 13, thusdividing the liquid 6U into two bodies. 4

The wires 17 and 18 forming partof an electrical circuit, the continuity of which is adapted to be broken between the two bodies of li uid, are electrically connected with the 66 liqui in the inner and outer wells, re'spec. tively. The line 17 is connected with the liquid in the inner well by a screw 19 inserted throu h the bottom wall 20 of the center well with its head 21 disposed therein, 70 the screw being secured in place by a nut 22 and suitable cement 23 to form a mercur tight joint, the conductor 17 being electricallyV connected withl the screw by a terminal nut 24. the body of liquid in the outer-well through a strip ofY conducting" material"25;"bentvto/ conform with an extension or base 26 projected above the top surface of the base member with its lower end 27 extended into they 80 body of liquid and its upper end 28 clamped in place by a bolt 29 extending through the projection and to which the end of conductor 18 is. electrically secured by a terminal nut 30. The circuit in which the lines 17 and 18 85 are included is broken between the two bodies of liquid which are normally separated by the wall' of the cup shaped portion 13.

The two bodies of liquid are. adapted to be electrically connected to com lete the continuity of the circuit in whi they are included -by a metal spider 3 1 whichis preferably of inverted bowl or cup shape with its inside diameter greater than the' outside 95 Vdiameter of the cu shaped member Y13 and the walls of the spi er extend to a depth sufficient to project into the liquid in the outer Vwell when the spider is projected thereinto with its top closed wall 32 at a point adja- 100 cent the to of the cup shaped portion 13. Extended rom the central portion of the spider is a projection or stud 33, the lower or outer end of which'is on a plane substantially even with the lower edge of the support member whch extends into the body of liquidin the inner well when the spider 1s in lowered positlon to thusv elect the electrcal bridging of the two bodies of liquid in the 'manner best illustrated in Figure l. The 'x10 The conductor 18 is connected witli"75 stud {i3/normally rests on the head 21 of the screw forming the terminal for the line 17 i with the liquid within the central well as evidenced bythe disclosure in the drawing.

. The spider 31 is actuated by a solenoid 34 which is supported from the projection 26 of the base member with its tubular core 35 in axial alignment with the concentric wells or pots, its lower fiange or end 36 being secured to the projection 26 byl suitable bolts or other fastening means'37, and the ends of the solenoid coil being connected with a suitable source of electrical energy by conductors 38. The armature 39 for actuating the metal s ider ispreferably of tubular form, althoug its construction may be of any suitv able type, and is slidably mounted within the tubular core 35. 'The lower end of the amature is fixed to the spider which is'held by gravity in -circuit completing position with' the mass of the armature below the center of the magnetic force of the solenoid so that energization of the solenoid causes a of magnetic force of the solenoid and the' quick movement upwardly to tend to center its mass with respect to the center of inagnetic force of the solenoid and quickly withdraw the metal spider from the liquid causing a quick break of the circuit, as willbe apparent. In order to facilitate the movement of the spider 31 into and out of the liquid, a plurality of air openings 4 0 are formed therein preferably by cutting tlrough the upper peripheral edge thereof, asillust-rated in the drawings.

The s ecific form of my invention just= describe is of that type where the circuit is normally completed when the solenoid 34 is disconnected from its source of energy and the continuity of the circuit broken when the solenoid is energized. In that form of myinvention illustrated in Figure armatureis drawn downwardly into the hollow core 35 thereof, compressing the spring 43, to project lthe Aspider into the Vliquid upon energization of the solenoid.

When conductors of the nature illustrated are to be used in connection with street li hting systems, itis often necessary that t ey Abe designed to work over a voltage range of approximately to 120 volts. This being the case the current owing through the solenoid at 120 bolts is"considerably more than the current flowing at 80 volts. This accordingly means that the coil must 'be designed suitable for working on'an 80 volt circuit and yetl be able to stand up` o n 120 volts, which is accomplished by winding the i solenoid with wire of suiiicient size to 've IQ rstrength at 80 volts`and the current is imited when used in connection with 120 volts along any range of voltage by insertin an adjustable core 44 into the fixed core 35 om the top.l The adjustable core is preferably I5 made from a length ofsteeltubinglongitudinally split, as at 45, in order that it may tend to spread and have a 'sufficient frictio'nal contact with the fixed core 35 that it will set fixed at any point. s

Accordingly, when the adjustable cor'e is pushed into the solenoid all the vway so that it just allows the metal spider to o n the circuit, a maximum choking effect is o tained. This limits the current and in this manner 86 the current can be cut .down on 120.-v olts to an even smaller value than that obtained ion 80 volts. v Y

The spider 31 and the contact member 33' Y carried thereby are preferably coatedwith 90 a copper, zinc or other suitable plating.

.This servesas a protective coating againsto corrosion and also tends to increase the mer- -cury amalgam surface so that the electrical circuit is made and broken between merca Il and mercury rather than mercury and me What I claim as my invention is:

1. VAn appliance of the character de- Y scribed, comprising a plurality of concentric n. chambers each adapted to have a body of 1N' liquid therein, means incorporating the liquid within the chambers in an e ectric circuit, the continuit of which is normallyA broken between the odies of liquid, an inverted cup-shaped member adapted to be moved into the liquid in the outer ychamber and a part carried by the spider and adap to be inserted into the liquid within the in- C ner chamber when the spider is inserted into the li uid of the outer chamber to electrical'- 110 l bri ge the bodies of liquid and complete t e circuit. Y

2. An appliance of the character dcscribed, comprising a plurality of concentric chambers each adapted to have a body of liquid therein, means'incorporating the liquid in the chambers with an electric circuit the continuity of which is normally broken between the bodies of liquid, an inverted cup-shapedpmember adapted .to bemV moved into the liquid in the outer chamber,

a part carried by the spider and adapted to beV inserted into thel liquid within thev inner chamber when the spider is, inserted into the vliquid .of the outei chamber to electrically 185 bridge the bodies of liquid and complete the circuit, and means reventing the formation; of air pockets in t e interior of the spiderf member when in contact making position.

3. An appliance of th character del' in scribed, comprising a chamber adapted to contain a body of mercury or other liquid, means incorporating the body of mercury or Athe like in an electric circuit, a member adapted to be moved into the body of mercury or the like to complete the circuit in whl'ch'the mercury or the like is included, a solenoid for actuating said member having a tubular core', and a split sleeve frictionally engaged-in the u per end of the core to adjust the solenoi for currents of diiierent voltage. f v

4'. An appliance of the class' described, comprising a plurality of concentric chambers each adapted to receive a bodyof liquid, means incorporating the liquid in the chambers with an electric circuit the continuity of which is normally broken between the bodies of liquid, a solenoid mounted above thechambers and in axial alignment therewith,

fixed' to the lower end of the armature and.

adapted to be moved into the liquid in the outer chamber, and a stud carried by the spider and insertable into the liquid in the inner chamber substantially simultaneously with the-,insertion of the spider into the li uid -of the outer chamber to electrically bridge the bodies of liquid, said' spider halving vent means therein to prevent the formation of air pockets in thefinterior ofthe spider. l

5. In a device of the class described, comprising a solenoid having a tubular core, an armature adapted to be attracted thereby,

and a split sleeve frictionally engaged in the upper end of the bore to ad]ust the solenoid for currentsof different voltage. In testimony whereof I aiix my si nature'.

1 ALWIN G. STEINMA R. 

